Trevor Powers, better known as Youth Lagoon, is in a class all his own when it comes to psychedelia. His lyrics delve unrelentingly into the human psyche while his music swirls with twinkling piano and a tornado of fuzzy guitars. Yet through all that intensity, he still manages to make us feel calm and collected, like we're being rocked to sleep in the midst of a storm.

We've been obsessed with his sophomore album, Wondrous Bughouse, ever since it came out in March. Lucky for us, Youth Lagoon performed a soaring set during SXSW, at Stereogum's party for Hype Machine's Hype Hotel. After admiring the unique recording production for so long, it's honestly fascinating to see Powers and his band weave their bizarre carnival sound live onstage in challenging songs like "Mute" and "Attic Doctor." Watch the video and get swept away.

Austin, how are you? Living in a 3D world where the clock is in control. He sits on his throne on top of my wrist and tells me what I know. The devil tries to plague my mind but he can't quite get inside. I'll place my jar in a burial grounds that only I can find. Winding up the back road hill looking for God's acre still. and just when I gave up a headstone was seen near the top of the military kill. As I hear the horses drawing close over all the corpses we loved most but I never see them, I never see them. I never see them, I never see them. There's a figure watching from the knoll. All the myths and stories we were told but I'll never listen, I'll never listen. I'll never listen, I'll never listen. I don't mean any harm. You can trust me like you would trust your own brother but he is much nicer. "I won't die easily," that's what they said when I erupt into laughter. The doctor puts on a face to tell her she couldn't have babies. To tell her she couldn't have ba... I don't mean any harm. You can trust me like you would trust your own brother. Maybe even better. "I won't die easily," that's what you said after you watched the disease spread. The doctor conceals a grin to tell her she couldn't have babies. To tell her she couldn't have babies. Explosions pillaging the night from the fireworks on the 4th of July. It's just my lady, our friends and I. Smoking cigars and yelling at cars as they drive by. We scaled a ladder ascending to the roof while five years ago, I leaped and no one knew. Holding a guitar I strummed a tune. I sang, "I love you but I have to cut you loose." Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh. Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh. Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh. As the...small bombs we watch from the rooftop safely, so safely. If I had never let go, then only God knows where I would be now. I made a bridge between us then I slowly burned it. Five years ago, in my backyard I sang love away. Little did I know that love had not quite yet found me. This dimension and the next, the living and the dead, the wave into the corpse, everybody cares. Everybody cares. I'm sure love exists and this is what it is. I'm polluted by my blood so help me cut it out and rinse it down the drain. Everybody cares. Everybody cares. They say love exists. Then what happened to it? Everybody's wanting to see. Wanting to see it come alive, pour the ashes into the cup, mix with wine. Here's to sleep, drink up. Everybody's wanting to see. Wanting to see it come alive, pour the ashes into the cup, mix with wine. Here's to sleep, drink up. Everybody's wanting to see. Wanting to see it come alive, pour the ashes into the cup, mix with wine. Here's to death, drink up. This is our last song of see what I've done? You know where we come from and yet children are far. Thank you guys so much.

Artist Bio

Twenty-two year old Trevor Powers, whose musical venture is called Youth Lagoon, has had a long year. Not because he's been endlessly touring or pursuing some wild dream, but because of life - the life of a kid going to college, being in love, dealing with heartache, and just living.

"Youth Lagoon isn't me." says Powers. "It's merely a part of me. I was in and out of different bands in high school and always tried to define myself by what music I played. I tried to find a sense of meaning by being in a band. But it wasn't until this last year - when I realized I was more than just music - that I was able to create music that means something to me. And that is Youth Lagoon."

Throughout the course of 2010, Powers began to write an album about things he had a hard time talking about. He claims that when he tries to talk about it to people, he doesn't make sense. So he wrote an album about it titled The Year of Hibernation.

"For my whole life I've dealt with extreme anxiety." says Powers. "Not anxiety about passing a test or somewhat normal things, but weird.. bizarre things. Things that only I know. I sometimes feel like I'm literally being eaten up inside. So I started writing these songs. Not just songs about my anxiety, but about my past and my present. Songs about memories, and all those feelings that those bring. I know that if I can be honest about what is inside my mind, there will be others that will be able to relate to it."

Although his music seems somewhat dreamy with the first listen, the lyrics show a different side to the matter. Hidden beneath the melodies is a voice that is eerie yet nostalgic. Powers claims his music is like letting people read his journal. "I don't think I could ever write a completely happy album. It's not that I'm not a happy person," claims Powers, "but I just have too many things in my mind that haunt me."